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Diagnostics: Page 1
Troubleshooting
Windows 95/98/Me/XP/Vista and Windows 7 PC Problems with Microsoft Knowledge Base
Many of the most common problems that occur in the various
versions of Windows (95, 98, 98 SE, Me, XP, Vista and Windows 7) are addressed
in the MS Knowledge Base in the form of numbered articles. I have collected
the links to and the descriptions of the articles on these pages that have supplied
the posters of problems in newsgroups (alt and microsoft.public
newsgroups) with the information they need to solve their problems.
Microsoft ends support
for Windows 98/98 SE/MeJune
24, 2006. - On July 11, 2006, Microsoft
ended support for both Windows 98, Windows 98 Second Edition (SE)
and Windows Millennium Edition (Me). This means that Microsoft will
no longer provide security updates for these operating systems, and will no longer
provide (paid) incident support. Only self-help support will be available until
at least July 10, 2007. You can still use those versions of Windows, but, unless
Microsoft changes its mind, they will not be updated after that date. The
MS Knowledge Base articles listed on this page are still being made available
for the unsupported versions of Windows. The Selection Menu
The MS Knowledge Base articles are
grouped according to the versions of Windows to which they apply. Click a link
below to go to articles on the designated version(s) of Windows. You can
also scroll down the page. The articles on Windows XP, Windows SP2, Internet
Explorer/ Outlook Express, and the MSDN Articles are on Page
2. The articles on Windows Vista are on Page
3 and the articles on Windows 7 are on Page
4.
Use your browser's Back button to return
to this point on this page.
Introduction to the
Microsoft (MS) Knowledge Base
The chances are good
that if your computer has a software or a hardware
problem, the answer is to be found on this page in the form of links to articles
in Microsoft's Knowledge Base (KB).
Microsoft
Knowledge Base searches Below are the links
to more specific Knowledge Base searches. The subject matter that is searched
for is provided within the link. Search
the Microsoft Knowledge Base: General search Search
the Knowledge Base: Setup issues and problems Search
the Knowledge Base: Installation issues and problems Search
the Knowledge Base: Internet Explorer issues and problems Search
the Knowledge Base: Outlook Express issues and problems Search
the Knowledge Base: Firewall issues and problems Search
the Knowledge Base: Wireless issues and problems Search
the Knowledge Base: Networking issues and problems
Search
the Knowledge Base: Downloads: issues and problems
Note
that Microsoft is no longer providing updates for Windows 95, Windows 98, and
Windows Me and Windows XP SP2 and Windows Vista SP1 are no longer receiving
support. By November 2011, Windows Vista SP2 and all versions of Windows
7 were receiving Microsoft's support.
Other sources
of information on diagnosing PC problems
However,
there are plenty of PC problems that are not addressed by the MS Knowledge
Base. This site and others provide plenty of information on the most common
software and hardware problems that may or may not be covered in the Knowledge
Base. Here are some useful links to PC problem pages and diagnostic utilities
on this site: Hardware diagnostic
utilities
Click
here! to go directly to links to sites that provide hardware diagnostic utilities
(freeware and shareware) on the first of the four Links
pages on this site.
Hardware
and software problems and solutions dealt with on this site
The hardware and software problems dealt with on this website are in the order
of their popularity. When applicable, the order will change to match the popularity
recorded by this website's web logs in the previous month.
Click a link below that
describes the type of computer problem to go to that information
1. - Motherboard
and power supply problems: How to fix common problems with faulty motherboards
(mainboards) and power supplies (PSUs)
2. - Software
problems: How to fix problems with Windows, programs, and utilities
3. - Hard
disk drive problems: How to fix computer hard disk drive (HDD) problems
4. - RAM
memory problems: How to fix problems with the Random Access Memory
5. - Video/graphics
card problems: How fix common computer video and graphics problems
6. - Network
problems: How to fix common wired and wireless networking and internet problems
7. - Windows
8 problems: How to diagnose and fix problems with Windows 8
8. - Windows
7 problems: How to diagnose and fix problems with Windows 7
9. - Recover,
restore and repair Windows 7 (Win7) when a computer
crashes or fails to boot
10. - Windows
Vista problems: How to fix common problems with Windows Vista
11. - Recovering
and repairing Windows Vista when a computer crashes
or fails to boot
12. - Windows
XP: How to troubleshoot and fix shutdown, restart (reboot), and
startup problems
13. - Recovering
and repairing Windows XP when a computer crashes
or fails to boot
13. - Recovering
and repairing Windows XP when a computer crashes
or fails to boot
14. - Laptop/notebook
problems: How to address or fix the most common laptop/netbook problems
15. - Processor
problems: How fix common processor (CPU) problems
16. - CD/DVD
drive problems: How to fix problems with CD and DVD drives and discs
17. - USB
and FireWire problems: - How to fix common USB and FireWire problems
18. - Typical
DLL (Dynamic Link Library) device driver problems
****
Visit
the Build a PC page for information on how to build
a desktop PC and solve self-build problems, and visit the other pages, such
as the Video/Graphics, Sound, Motherboards,
and Monitors pages for more problem-solving information,
all of which can be accessed via the menu items and jump menu on the orange
navigation bar, or via the site search engine at the top of each of the main
pages.
How to use the Microsoft Knowledge Base The
purpose of this page is to make it easier to identify and access particular
Microsoft Knowledge
Base articles that address the most common problems with the various versions
of Windows and other Microsoft software that are being used by home and office
users. Since Microsoft software has to interact with all of the
other kinds of software - utilities, other browsers, and applications - the Knowledge
Base also contains all of the known issues involving those interactions. Continue
reading the article if you are unfamiliar with using the Knowledge Base.
Microsoft has created a huge and ever-growing database of troubleshooting
articles that attempts to address every possible known issue involving its
software. It has named this database the Knowledge
Base, which can be searched via its website, or by using a search
engine by entering the title (enclosed in double quotation marks) or the
reference number of a KB article.
Visit this KB article - Searching
the Technical Database (Knowledge Base) for more detailed information on how
to search it.
In brief, to find a particular article on Microsoft's
site, you have to know its reference number, or the title
of the page. Being the shortest, the reference number is the easiest to use.
You
can also enter a search phrase in The KB page's Search box to locate articles.
Just enter a brief description of the problem and the program involved (Windows,
Word, Excel, Outlook, etc.). E.g., entering the phrase Windows
98 always boots in Safe mode, should turn up the article(s) that discuss
the problem.
In case you want to use it instead of a search engine,
the link to the Knowledge Base at Microsoft's site is - http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?pr=kbinfo&
Or use http://support.microsoft.com/,
which is easier to remember, and locate it from there. (Note
that there is no www in the URL; it begins with http://support.
If you only know the reference number...
Note that to go directly
to an article for which the reference number is known, you can use http://support.microsoft.com/
and add /?kbid= followed by the reference
number. For example, if the reference number is 321305, the URL that
takes you directly to the article is: http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=321305
Note
that Microsoft has removed the Q that used to be in front of all of the
Knowledge Base (KB) articles. E.g. the KB reference
Q306615 becomes
306615. You will still be able to access the
old numbers containing the Q for a specified period before the pages are
dropped.
An example of how
to search these pages and the MS Knowledge Base itself
Here is an example: How to Download and Install DirectX
- The link to this KB article is - http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;179113
The reference number of the above article is the 179113
on the end of the URL. If you enter the title or that reference number in the
Knowledge Base
at Microsoft's website, or in the Google search engine, you should be able
to find the relevant page. For instance,
if you were experiencing a problem with a computer running Windows 98 SE
only booting to Safe mode, to find references to it on this page, you would
enter the search term Safe mode in your browser's search function. - In
Internet Explorer, this is under Edit => Find (on This Page).
This is what the search of this page turns up - 306615
- Computer Always Starts In Safe Mode - Windows
98/98SE.
You would then click the reference number beside the
article's title, or copy the reference number and click one of the the links
at the top of each table to visit either the MS Knowledge Base or the Google
Groups search engine of past Usenet posts. Pasting the reference
number into the search box on both of pages that come up should take you to
the relevant article in the KB or newsgroup threads in Google Groups.
You can also enter the reference number as the search query in a search engine.
Google
Groups
You can add further depth to the search by
using Google Groups - the massive database of newsgroup and forum postings
that Google owns.
Google's archived Usenet newsgroups - https://groups.google.com/
Enter the name of the newsgroup you want to search in the
search box. Say, alt.windows98 or alt.os.windows-xp.
In the next search box, enter your search phrase, or the article's reference
number. You are provided with the options to search that newsgroup only,
search all the newsgroups, or search the web. Searching all of the newsgroups
is the default setting. See the Newsgroups
page on this site for more information about them.
General
Articles
|
Ref.
Number |
Click
here to go to the MS Knowledge Base
|
| For
access to an article click on the Ref.
Number or copy it into the search box
at the destination pages of either of the two links placed in
the top two rows of this table. | | | Information
on the most common hard disk drive problems in the Microsoft Knowledge Base |
| | Information
on the most common FireWire problems in the Microsoft Knowledge Base |
| 890830
| The
Microsoft Windows Malicious Software Removal Tool helps
remove specific, prevalent malicious software from computers that are running
Windows Server 2003, Windows XP, or Windows 2000 |
| 326246
| How
to Replace Lost, Broken, or Missing Microsoft Software or Hardware
| | 256986
| Description
of the Microsoft Windows Registry
| | 270035
| How
To Modify the List of Programs that Start with Windows - Start-up
Programs | | 217210
| How
To Multiple Boot Windows XP - 2000 - NT
- 95 - 98 - MS DOS | | 118579
| Contents of the
Windows Msdos.sys File |
| 127139
| Troubleshooting
Video Problems in Windows |
| |
RAM memory leaks
and how to detect and isolate them | |
|
How the Recycle Bin
Stores Files | | |
How to Increase
Conventional Memory for MS-DOS-Based
Programs | |
164660 |
AT Modem Command
Reference | | 816093
| Flaw
in the Microsoft Java Virtual Machine (VM) Could Enable System Compromise
- affects most versions of Windows and Internet Explorer |
| Kernel32.dll
errors | |
Articles
Relevant to Windows 95/98/98 SE Windows
95 and 98 are no longer supported by Microsoft, but the KB articles are still
available
|
Ref.
Number |
Click
here to go to the MS Knowledge Base
|
| For
access to an article click on the Ref.
Number or copy it into the search box
at the destination pages of either of the two links placed in
the top two rows of this table. | |
184447
| Error
Message - Insufficient Memory to
Initialise Windows - when 1 gigabyte (1GB) or more of random-access memory (RAM)
is installed | | 177864
| Insufficient RAM Memory
to Load System Files [Applies to Windows 98 Standard Edition / Windows
95] | | 142546
| How to Use a RAM Drive to Troubleshoot
RAM Memory | | 166172
| Duplicating
Windows 95/98/98 Second Edition Installation
to a New Hard
Disk | | 240348
| All Installed
Programs May Not Be Displayed in the Add/Remove
Programs Tool | |
141698
| How to
Use Winipcfg to View TCP/IP
Settings | |
192315
| "All
Folders" Pane Missing or Windows Explorer
Is Blank | | 181599
| How
to Remove and Reinstall Dial-Up Networking and TCP/IP
Files | | 192322
| Description
of Default Cluster Sizes for FAT32 File System
- Windows 95 OSR2+/98 | | 150516
| Computer
Hangs After Windows Logo is Displayed at Startup |
| 245560
| Error
Message - Invalid Path, Not Directory, or Directory Not Open. |
| 194846
| How to
Make Your CD-ROM Drive Accessible in Safe
Mode | | 143283
| Windows
98 or Windows 95 Defaults to Safe Mode Even
After Successful Start | |
141898
| Windows
95/98 Boots Directly to "Shut Down" Screen |
| 136416
| Windows
Does Not Start Normally With Bootgui=1 in
the MSDOS.SYS |
| 126574
| Damaged
VXD or .386 File
Causes Incorrect Error Message | |
236772
| Receive
Win32sys.exe Error Messages When You Start
Your Computer. | | 312108
| Windows Protection
Error in NDIS with a CPU [processor] That
Is Faster Than 2.1 GHz | |
243450
| ScanDisk
Errors on IDE Hard Disks Larger Than 32 GB |
| 147381
| How
to Use System Policies [poledit.exe] On
a Standalone Computer | | 208082
| Error
Message - Cannot Delete File: File System
Error (1026) | | |
Control Panel
Does Not Open | | |
Cannot Delete Any
Files in Windows - Corrupt Recycle Bin |
| |
Control Panel Does
Not Open | | 254768
| How
to Determine the Default Windows Fonts
| | 146912
| Reported
Memory Does Not Match Amount of Installed
Memory | |
191451
| Internet
Explorer Does Not Save Connection Settings
| | 263044
| FDISK
Does Not Recognize Full Size of Hard Disks Larger than
64 GB | | 183479
| Error
Message - The Following System Files Have Been Replaced by Older Versions
(DDEM.DLL) |
Articles
Relevant to Windows 98 & 98 SE
Windows
98 and 98 SE are no longer supported by Microsoft, but the KB articles are still
available
|
Ref.
Number |
Click
here to go to the MS Knowledge Base
|
| For
access to an article click on the Ref.
Number or copy it into the search box
at the destination pages of either of the two links placed in
the top two rows of this table. | |
206071
| General
Information About Windows 98 and Windows 98 Second Edition Hotfixes
| | 187602
| Top
KB Articles for Windows 98 - key troubleshooting
page! - Plenty of KB articles with links. |
| 190123
| Error
Message - A Fatal Exception 06 Has Occurred
at... | | 188433
| Example
page of the Windows 98 CD-ROM Directory Listing -
the Contents of the CAB files - (6 of 14) |
| |
Error Message -
Windows Encountered an Error Accessing the System Registry
| |
193902
| How
to Install Windows 98 Into a New Folder |
| 281965
| How
to Troubleshoot Using the Msconfig Utility
with Windows 98 | | 181966
| System
Configuration Utility Advanced Troubleshooting Settings - Run
=> msconfig.exe | |
188867
| Troubleshooting
Windows 98 Startup Problems |
| 180902
| How
to Start a Windows 98-Based Computer in Safe Mode
| |
143283
| Windows
98 or Windows 95 Defaults to Safe Mode Even
After Successful Start | |
192926
| How
to Perform Clean-Boot Troubleshooting
for Windows 98 | | 190303
| How
to Use Real-Mode [DOS] Drivers from Windows
98 Startup Disk | | 221823
| INFO -1394
FireWire Device Not Being Detected |
| 191219
| Cannot
Find Program.exe Needed for Opening Files...
| | 185836
| Description of
the System File Checker Tool (sfc.exe) |
| 192832
| System
File Checker Tool Extracts the Incorrect File Versions |
| 129605
| How to
Extract Original Compressed Windows Files
- System File Checker |
| 237948
| Troubleshooting
Compact Disc Recordable and Re-Writable Drives in Windows 98 Second
Edition | | 190554
| How
to Troubleshoot Modem Problems in Windows
98/98 Second Edition | | 189877
| Device
Manager Displays Error Code 15 |
| 222952
| Error
Message - [Windows] Explorer Caused
an Invalid Page Fault in Shell32.dll
at 015f:7fce85c0 |
| 178746
| Thumbnail
Views Not Displayed for Some File Types
- Using Internet Explorer 1.0 to 5.5 | |
176882
| How
to Enable the Thumbnail View
for Folders in Windows Explorer -
Using Internet Explorer 5.0 | |
175148
| Computer
May Stop Responding When Scrolling Through Web Page [Using an ATI
Rage II 3D video card] |
Articles
Relevant to Windows 98/98 Se/MeWindows
98, 98 SE, and Windows Me are no longer supported by Microsoft, but the KB articles
are still available
|
Ref.
Number |
Click
here to go to the MS Knowledge Base
|
| For
access to an article click on the Ref.
Number or copy it into the search box
at the destination pages of either of the two links placed in
the top two rows of this table. |
| 221512
| How to Manually Restore
the Windows 98/Me Registry - How to use the scanreg /restore
command at the DOS command prompt to a possible restore five-days' backups of
the main system files, including the Registry. | |
315854
| Windows
98 and Windows Me Error Message Resource Center -
source of error messages for Win98 and WinMe | |
227995
| "Error
630" or "Port Is Invalid or Busy" When Dialling Out with a Modem -
Windows 98/Me | | 272623
| How
to Add the Print Directory Feature to
Windows Explorer |
| 273017
| Fast Shutdown
Fails to Flush IDE Cache - Windows 98/Me - Windows IDE
Hard Drive Cache Package | |
181966
| System Configuration
Utility - msconfig.exe - Advanced Troubleshooting
Settings | | |
Using the Microsoft L2TP/IPSec VPN
Client with Windows 98, Windows Me, and Windows NT 4.0 |
| |
Error Message -
"Error 629" When Dial-Up Server [Dial-Up Networking]
Disconnects Dial-Up Clients - 98SE and Me | |
228903
| Error
Message - Program Not Found. Windows Cannot
Find Microsoft.exe | |
304943
| Computer
May Reboot Continuously with More Than 1.5
GB of RAM installed | |
238165
| Defrag
Error Message - ID No:DEFRAG00205 | |
280737 | Fdisk.exe
(FDISK) Unable to Partition
Drives Larger Than 512 Gigabytes | |
220874
| Automatic
Windows 98/Me TCP/IP Addressing Without a
DHCP Server |
Articles
Relevant to Windows 95/98/98 SE/Me
Windows
95, 98, 98 SE, and Windows Me are no longer supported by Microsoft, but the KB
articles are still available
|
Ref.
Number |
Click
here to go to the MS Knowledge Base
| |
For access to an article
click on the Ref. Number or copy it into the search box at the destination
pages of either of the two links placed in
the top two rows of this table. | |
322754
| How to
backup, edit, and restore the Registry in
Windows 95, Windows 98, and Windows Me | |
152104
| How
to Prevent a Windows 95, Windows 98, or Windows Me Logon
[password] Prompt at Startup | |
125174
| Explanation
of Error Codes Generated by Device
Manager | | 138708
| Function
of the Windows 32-Bit Message Server - Msgsrv32.exe
| | 229154
| Error
Message - Your Computer Does Not Have Enough
Free Memory to Defrag the Drive
- Windows 95 OSR2+/98/Me | |
158114
| Error
Message - Error Messages Occur When You Attempt to Use Modem
- Windows 95/98/Me | | 139952
| Slower Modem
Speed Reported After Upgrading Windows |
| 127970
| Load Failures
Listed in the Bootlog.txt File |
| 253912
| "Out
of Memory" Error Messages with Large Amounts of RAM Installed [Applies
to Windows 95/98/Me - Windows 98 SE (Second Edition) has trouble
with 512MB of RAM and more. Windows 95/98/Me systems were not designed to use
large amounts or RAM. Most home users of Windows 95/98/Me are unlikely to require
this much RAM in any case, so, if possible, it's advisable to install less than
512MB. The fix is detailed in this article] | |
108079
| 32-Bit
File Access - Maximum Cache Size |
| 262808
| Changing
and Editing File Associations in Windows Me
Windows 95 and Windows 98 | |
186111
| Description
of the Windows 95, Windows 98, and Windows Me Setup Switches |
| 255867
| How
to Use the FDISK Tool and the Format Tool
to Partition or Repartition a Hard Disk | |
261473
| Unable
to Delete a Partition or Logical DOS Drive Using the FDISK
Utility | | 148925
| Dial-Up
Networking Password Is Not Saved | |
258801
| How
to Eliminate a Computer Virus | |
191949
| How to
Troubleshoot Spool32 Error Messages |
| |
MS-DOS Compatibility
Mode Problems with PCI IDE Controllers - the NOIDE
Registry entry | | |
Error Message - When You Right-Click
a File or a Folder | | |
MS-DOS Error Message:
Unable to Control A20 Line |
| |
Floppy Disk Drive Is
Active When Opening or Saving Files | | 287553
| Error
Message - "Verifying DMI Pool Data"
Occurs and the Computer Is Unavailable | |
150314
| What Are
Fatal Exception Errors? |
| 169790
| How
to Troubleshoot Basic TCP/IP
Problems | | 137361
| Save
Password Check Box Is Unavailable | |
191874
| Error
Message - VMM32.VXD: Missing/Unable to
Load | | 138788
| Bad
RAM Causes Fatal Exception Errors
Running Windows 95/98 [and Windows Me] | |
149083
| Error
Message - There Are No Spare Stack Pages |
| 282530
| How
to Prevent Drive Letters from Changing
After You Add a Hard Disk or a CD-ROM | |
263044
| FDISK
Does Not Recognize Full Size of Hard Disks Larger than
64 GB | | 263045
| Format
Displays Size of Partitions or Logical Drives
Larger Than 64 GB Incorrectly | |
256614
| You Cannot
View or Change the Read-Only or
System Attribute of Folders
[folders not files] | |
245436 | How
To Determine Your Hard Disk's Cluster Size |
| 253912
| "Out
of Memory" Error Messages with Large Amounts of RAM Installed [Applies
to Windows 95/98/Me - Windows 98 SE (Second Edition) has trouble
with 512MB of RAM and more. Windows 95/98/Me systems were not designed to use
large amounts or RAM. Most home users of Windows 95/98/Me are unlikely to require
this much RAM in any case, so, if possible, it's advisable to install less than
512MB. The fix is detailed in this article] | |
141306
| How
to Enable Support for Multiple Languages
in Windows (95/98/ME) |
Articles
Relevant to Windows MeWindows
Me is no longer supported by Microsoft, but the KB articles are still available
|
Ref.
Number |
Click
here to go to the MS Knowledge Base
|
| For
access to an article click on the Ref. Number
or copy it into the search box at the destination pages of either of the two links
placed in the top two rows of this table. |
| 221512
| How to Manually Restore
the Windows 98/Me Registry - How to use the scanreg /restore
command at the DOS command prompt to a possible restore five-days' backups of
the main system files, including the Registry. | |
267951
| Description
of the System Restore Utility in Windows Millennium
Edition | | 279736
| How
to Start the System Restore Tool From
a Command Prompt |
| 267288
| How to
Perform Clean Boot Troubleshooting in Windows
Millennium Edition | | 273738
| How
to Troubleshoot Windows Me Startup problems |
| 275003
| Cannot
Boot Windows Me After Defragmenting Hard Disk |
| 166320
| Cannot
Remove File Association in File Types Dialog
Box | | 261870
| Two or
More Computers [Networked] Do Not Appear in Windows Explorer or My
Network Places When You Connect Them with a FireWire
[Cable] |
| 266081
| Network
Browsing May Not Work Properly Over 1394
[FireWire] NDIS Network |
| 267643
| NetBEUI
Is Unable to Restore Network Connections When
Returning From Hibernation or Standby Mode |
| The articles on Windows XP, Windows SP2, Internet
Explorer/ Outlook Express, are on Page
2. |
PC Buyer Beware! Copyright ©
Eric Legge 2004-2011. All rights reserved. |
